This person spends more time with you in the
hospital than the doctors. Listen what she has got to say.
Her job description is quite clear: she is
a nurse who has registered to take care of mother and newborn during birth pangs,
delivery and recovery. Besides keeping track on mother’s womb contractions and
fetus’ heart rates, she cleans up all messy things; adjust habits,
characteristics and family disasters; manage fathers and pamper babies;
translate the medical language and plays a role as a cheer leader, a drill
sergeant and a best friend. Your nurse hears and sees everything and knows many
things; these are things she wants you to know.
This
person spends more time with you in the hospital than the doctors. Listen what
she has got to say.
Out of your bed
Going around and changing your postures
regularly will help to ease your pain, help the baby to reverse position and
increases labor inducing. So, spend less time on bed and go for a walk instead,
then squat, sit on a ball, use see-saw or Jacuzzi. Backache? Try this labor
dance: go to the bed, lean against it with the elbow, and wag your butt; or hug
your partner and swing.
Try to be flexible
Giving birth is not predictable, and the
flexibility makes it smoother (not to mention feeding babies). Tell me, and the
doctor, or the midwife what you want in advance – we will try to supply.
However, we can’t make sure everything in your wish list for your delivery
plan. (This is a secret: the longer the plan is, the more interference it
gets). The delivery is very difficult. And some children need more help to get
out of your stomach. It is not a picnic to you, either, and sometimes the plan
is thrown out of the window when the birth pangs become so heavy for you. So we
won’t follow your plan, for example: “I won’t anesthetize the dura”.
Check your modesty (and haughtiness) at the door.
You can’t make us shocked (or to your
doctor and midwife). We see all. You are not the first woman who gets the birth
pang and the unshaved legs, unwashed hair and unshaved private part for years,
if you have. We don’t care if there is much hair or not, what color it is. If
you have time, please prepare comfortably. Shave your legs and take care of
your nails. The sharp things on your body – please remove it. Don’t worry about
taking your poop, shouting and losing control. It means, the pain is not the
reason for illiberality.
Tell us if you are scared
Survey shows that the 4 biggest fears of
pregnant women are pain, injection needle, ragged or slashed vagina and Cesarian
necessity. Tell me what you are scared of, and maybe we can help. The
pain-killer doesn’t work? We will recommend some other ways. If you are
unconscious by IV, blood-taking and dura anesthetizing, tell the nurses and
they will work with you to ease your fear and pain with warm towels, general
anesthetics and TLC. A warm gauze applying to pelvis and massage it with some
mineral oil will help you to avoid ragged vagina. Most midwives, and in some
areas in the USA, nurses will do this. And if you know that you need a Cesarian
method – we ensure that it will be very quick and it is mostly easy and less
painful than you think.
Understand that birth pangs last long
Your birth pangs will be a sprinting or a
marathon? Yes, we have many experiences, but we don’t have the crystal ball. We
can estimate how long it lasts by using a lot of variables (natural delivery or
labor inducing, first delivery or many times before) and know when a doctor should
be sent for. (This is another secret: the more people around you, the longer it
lasts. You are sure to move less when you have some guests). The time choosing
is so important when considering interfering and managing the pain such as dura
anesthetizing, but delivery is a journey, not a race.
Walking
around can reduce birth pangs and help you to avoid Cesarian method .
